“…”
At 7:00 AM, the young man in the mirror looked calmly at his bare upper body before slowly getting dressed.
After Altina left, no one else had visited. Consequently, no more of those distracting lip marks had appeared on Kane’s body.
However, this also meant that Kane had essentially wasted an entire day waiting for a target that never showed up.
If he was going to continue his stakeout tonight, he needed to find a good place to rest during the day. Of course, before that, he had to discuss last night’s events with Altina to see if there was a connection between the two incidents.
Without further delay, Kane decided to find Altina after breakfast.
But he didn’t even have to try. Just as he finished his meal and prepared to leave the room, there was a knock at the door.
Following Kane’s response, Altina walked in with her usual calm, rhythmic pace.
Unlike her usual tight-fitting uniform, she wore an outfit intended for going outdoors today—one that wouldn’t immediately give away her status as a noble. It was a mature ensemble that managed to be both gallant and feminine. Her upper body featured a shirt paired with a brown leather jacket, while her lower half consisted of deep blue hot pants, black tights, and high-heeled ankle boots.
Her exposed midriff was firm and toned. Combined with her calm, rational temperament and pretty face, she exuded the sophisticated, sexy aura of a mature woman.
The charm of an adult was on full display.
This was a look that girls like Edwina or Vanessa couldn’t pull off. Even if their figures were comparable to Altina’s, their different temperaments wouldn’t project the same sense of maturity. Altina knew it was impossible to win Kane over by following the same style as those “pseudo-princesses,” so she decided to stick to her own strengths.
“… Good morning, Lord Kane. As agreed, I will be serving as your guard for your outing today.”
Under the watchful eyes of Kane and the other maids, Altina entered the room and assumed her role as a guard without the slightest hesitation. To an outsider, her respectful salute to Kane would make her look like a professional subordinate protecting a VIP.
In reality, she had never actually guarded anyone except for Queen Corellia. After all, she was the daughter of a Duke and the Mayor of the Royal Capital.
Her declaration immediately sparked immense curiosity among the maids in the room, who began glancing back and forth between Kane and Altina with great interest.
“… Lady Altina, you’re being a bit too serious. It’s just a stroll through the capital. Anyone watching would think I’m heading into a dangerous war zone.”
To prevent the maids from getting the wrong idea, Kane, who had also changed his clothes, offered a helpless smile.
Just moments ago, the maids had brought him new clothes, claiming they were custom-made for him by Corellia. Since he truly had nothing else to wear and the clothes looked normal enough, he had put them on.
If Altina’s outfit was a blend of cool and sexy maturity, Kane’s style was relaxed and casual. Paired with his signature polite smile, it gave him an air of mystery.
Although Altina had never been in love or felt her heart flutter for a man, she had to admit… Kane’s new outfit didn’t diminish that kingly aura he shared with Corellia.
That sense of composure was exactly what Altina believed a ruler of a nation should possess.
“… My apologies. Perhaps I am a little nervous.”
Even though Altina wasn’t nervous in the slightest, she made the claim with a perfectly calm expression.
This only made the helpless smile on Kane’s face grow wider.
‘Sigh, this cold-blooded young lady really doesn’t know how to lie.’
Kane, lamenting silently in his heart, had no idea that this was exactly what Altina wanted him to think.
Completely unaware that he was being actively pursued, Kane gave a brief greeting to the maids and left with Altina. Being in the palace was somewhat inconvenient, and he hoped to find a place to talk so he could rest early afterward.
As soon as Kane and Altina stepped out, the young maids in the room couldn’t wait a second longer to burst into a heated discussion.
“That is definitely a date! It’s definitely a date!”
“I never expected Lady Altina to serve as a guard for anyone other than Her Majesty. Is Lord Kane some incredibly important figure? Could he be the late King’s illegitimate son?”
“No way. I think Master Kane is probably affiliated with the Church, or maybe he’s a high-ranking noble from another country. Calling him the late King’s bastard is just too far-fetched.”
“That’s not the point! What are you all talking about? The point is the date! Lady Altina never wears anything that sexy when she goes out. She definitely has feelings for Master Kane!”
Because of what they had just witnessed, the young maids chatted incessantly about the relationship and identities of Altina and Kane. Their interest was so peaked that their work even came to a temporary standstill.
The gossip was interrupted by the sound of the door swinging open and a bright, cheerful female voice calling out from the entrance.
“Hey! Good morning, Master Kane! It’s a beautiful day. Let’s skip work and go out to play!”
The startled maids turned their heads to see the Princess, Lady Vita, standing there with a joyful smile and dressed for an outing.
“Uh, um… Lady Vita, Master Kane has already left.”
After a moment of awkwardness, one of the maids acted as a representative to respond to the overly energetic princess.
“Left? Alone?”
Vita, who had burst in so energetically, was clearly stunned by the news and asked in confusion.
How strange. She had calculated the timing perfectly, yet she was still a step behind?
“Ah, no. Master Kane left with Lady Altina. They probably left about five minutes ago.”
“… Little Altina? That’s certainly a surprise. Well, in that case, I’ll be going. Get back to work.”
Hearing that Kane and Altina had left together struck Vita as odd.
In her eyes, Altina was a person so serious and rigid that it was almost painful. Did she take Kane away because there was a specific incident that needed handling?
… Whatever, it didn’t matter. Even if there was an incident, it wouldn’t stop her. For the sake of her revenge against Corellia, she was going to actively pursue Kane. Having Altina around wouldn’t get in her way.
‘My dear older sister from another world… your lovely little sister is coming to find you right now… ♥’
After closing the door, a wicked and twisted smile appeared on Vita’s lips. Although it wasn’t sunny at all and was instead filled with darkness, she at least seemed to be enjoying herself.
***